“I’m into parlor dramas. I’m into theatre. I’m trained for the stage. I trained to do Chekhov and Shakespeare, I was trained for the stage.”

I had a huge imagination. My granddad says I was a bit of a Walter Mitty character.

I guess if I had fifty million dollars I could spend more time at home.

I like to be other people, not me. And when you’re on the red carpet, it’s like, ‘Here’s Tom Hardy.’ I don’t want to be me. That’s why I play other people.

I’m just getting settled as a responsible man – but if you split the elephant into little mouthfuls it will be fine.

I set myself that decision, otherwise I’m driving an opinion at you, and I think that would be treating you like you’re an idiot. I don’t want to force-feed you my opinion.

If I am duly compared to Marlon Brando at all, well, I can only think of The Teahouse of the ‘Shanghai Noon,’ that they’re comparing me to that!

The only thing I can do is wipe my arse, brush my teeth, turn up and do the best work I can.

Whatever character you play, remember they are always doing something they are not just talking.

I have a very busy head. I have inside voices that I have learned to contain.

You don’t step on stage to eat; you go there to be eaten.

The Long Red Road is a story about alcoholism and dysfunction and tragic tale of a man who’s trying to drink himself to death on an Indian reservation in Dakota. It was written for me, so it’s something I would love to do.

I liked you better when you were drunk .

I’m going to fail to hit the mark I’ve put up before me because it’s not possible to hit it. I want to be the best at what I do so I’ve got to get over myself already because that’s never going to happen. I ain’t ever going to be God.

I’m an armchair psychologist, I suppose, and I like to kind of sit around and guess and pretend I know what’s going on.

I love people. People are lovely creatures. I’m one myself, so I love to see people happy.

It doesn’t matter who you are. What matters is your plan.

When my daughter was younger we showed her all the great musicals. And the great dramas and great comedies, and the one that she took to the most was Some Like It Hot.

With knowledge, our creation can go in any direction – from the worst kind of drama, to the most beautiful dream. Then the best way to express our creativity is with love and awareness of what we really are.

The drama takes a toll on you.

Opera is music AND drama. I’m prepared to sacrifice the beautiful note for the meaningful sound any time…

People are what are scary…people.

I can make a pretty tone as well as anyone, but there are times when the drama of a scene demands the opposite of a pretty sound.

Marriage is such hard work. And it’s full of rage and real human drama.

The reality of any location in Britain being used in a TV program of a film is that something bad is going to happen! That’s the nature of drama. Most of the things that get made or basically grisly detective shows about murders, accidents or medical dramas.